FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed on Wednesday that the agency has successfully disrupted the operations of a second major Chinese hacking group, named “Flax Typhoon.” Speaking at the Aspen Cyber Summit, Wray explained that this group had been using hijacked devices across the U.S. to launch cyberattacks and gather intelligence for the Chinese government.
Flax Typhoon operated through a botnet consisting of thousands of compromised devices, including cameras and digital storage systems, many of which were located within the U.S. Wray noted that the group was controlled by Integrity Technology Group, a Chinese company that works closely with Chinese government security agencies under the guise of an IT firm.
The FBI’s intervention managed to stop the hacking group’s operations, but the hackers attempted to fight back by launching a DDOS attack before abandoning their efforts. Wray stated that while this was a significant success, it represents only one part of the broader challenge posed by Chinese cyber operations.
The tactics used by Flax Typhoon are similar to those of another Chinese hacking group, “Volt Typhoon,” which was uncovered last year. Volt Typhoon had embedded itself in critical U.S. infrastructure, such as telecommunications and energy systems, raising concerns about national security.
Wray highlighted that the FBI will continue prioritizing its efforts to counter Chinese cyber threats, particularly as U.S.-China tensions escalate over issues such as Taiwan. He assured the public that the agency remains vigilant and committed to protecting U.S. interests from foreign cyber threats.
